Origin of Wonders
by JakeFL
Summary: A mission to bust up an extortion ring leads to a manhunt for a much more dangerous type of criminal, one that Batman's wanted off the streets for years.
1. Just Like Any Other Mission

****Disclaimer**: **Young Justice and all related characters and story plots belong to DC Comics, Warner Brothers, and the network on which it airs, Cartoon Network. I am making no profit from this story whatsoever.

**Author's Note: **This is my first venture into the world of DC fanfiction, and I must say I feel pretty confident about this. I will try to update as quickly as possible. As of right now, the first three chapters are done in their entirety. I'll probably post the next two chapters together within the next couple of days (unless the number of reviews demand a more immediate response). The fourth and fifth chapters are mapped out, but not yet complete. I don't know what will come after that, though. I usually only plan two chapters ahead.

Again, this is my first attempt trying to capture these characters' personalities and anyone who writes fanfiction knows that it is not as easy as it seems. If you find something that is off, I encourage you to say something so the mistake can be corrected.

I do not work with a beta, so any and all mistakes are my own.

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><p><strong>Just Like Any Other Mission<strong>

**GOTHAM CITY  
>SEPTEMBER 10, 00:07 EDT<strong>

"_Come on!_ When are these guys going to show up all ready?" groaned Kid Flash excessively loud, earning a hissed "Shh!" from both Artemis and Robin.

It had been five days since the team had returned from Bialya. They were currently on a mission to bust up the latest stunt by a new extortion ring. Batman had warned them that they were going to be dealing with contract saboteurs, so they needed to take extra precaution in keeping their operation covert. Robin knew from experience that this meant keeping absolutely quiet and still while on stakeout, something his best friend was never very good at.

The target was a construction site for a new apartment complex. Word on the street was that the owner had been approached by an extremely suspicious insurance agent, whom he forcefully turned down before kicking him out of his office. This hadn't been the first case, and every other incident had ended with some sort of accident. So far, no one had gotten hurt, but the League figured that it was only a matter of time.

Aqualad suggested they split up into two groups. He, Miss Martian, and Superboy were stationed across the street in a dark, unused alleyway. Every so often, Miss Martian would cloak herself with her power of invisibility to get in a closer look. Meanwhile, Robin, Kid Flash, and Artemis were on the other side of the half-built structure, standing on the roof of the building, giving Robin the perfect viewpoint with his binoculars and Artemis the best range for her arrows to fly.

_Seriously, I'd rather be studying for that stupid math test tomorrow,_ thought Kid Flash, knowing the link Miss Martian set up would translate it to the rest of the team. They could have used the communicators, but telepathy offered them the option of staying absolutely silent, which had been extremely appealing.

_It has been four hours, _said Miss Martian softly.

_Maybe Batman was wrong. Maybe they're not going to show,_ Superboy suggested even as he continued to keep watch of the area.

_No, they'll be here,_ Robin defended immediately. Batman was hardly ever wrong. Besides, he knew how long his adopted father had been keeping tabs on this particular crime wave. By now, Batman probably knew every move they were going to make before they decided to do it.

_Robin is right. Batman would not have sent us here unless he was sure they were going to strike tonight,_ agreed Aqualad.

_Ugh!_ groaned Kid Flash as he flopped himself down upon the cement floor of the roof. _This is so boring! Can't we just skip to the part where we get to kick butt?_

_ Wally, you're giving me a headache. You don't hear the rest of us complaining, do you?_ asked Artemis, sending a glare in his direction.

_I can see someone moving on your side,_ Superboy warned suddenly as his infrared vision picked up on the disturbance.

_Make that six someones,_ confirmed Robin, narrowing in on the men moving in through the entrance to the construction site. Three of them were carrying large bags. Two of them had metal tools. The last one held a smaller box. These were definitely the guys they were looking for.

_Finally_, said Kid Flash as he sat up and prepared to take action.

_Stay alert, everyone. Move in slowly. We do not want to be discovered just yet,_ Aqualad directed. _M'gann, keep us linked._

_Got it,_ confirmed Miss Martian, taking to the air and slowly moving forward, aware the Superboy was just below her.

Aqualad followed behind Superboy, his water bearers all ready powered up. Artemis opted to remain higher up so as not to give herself up right away. Robin fired his grappling hook, instantly swinging out of sight. Kid Flash ran at top speed down to the street and found a place to hide until the action started.

The six intruders had taken the elevator up to one of the middle floors of the new building – the best place to do the most damage. They immediately wasted no time in getting to work. Picking out the three strongest metal supports for the structure was the first step. Then, they unpacked the three bags, revealing the dynamite they had brought with them. It didn't take long to get them placed and secured.

"Okay, now for the charge," muttered one of the goons, the bald one who was setting up a bomb directly across from where Artemis currently had an arrow cocked and aimed at the dynamite sticks.

_Now!_ cried Aqualad.

A child-like laugh echoed through the area, causing the six saboteurs to stop what they were doing and look around, but there was nothing to see… yet. There was no time for them to respond to the laughing voice before the Boy Wonder swung in on the grappling hook. His aim was true and a powerful kick landed on a man wearing a black pinstripe fedora. The goon went flying off the metal walkway and landed on the lift another floor down, Robin hot on his trail.

The other five men swiveled around quickly. As soon as they saw who it was that had interrupted their task, they groaned.

"Oh, great! If Bird Boy's here, then the Bat can't be too far behind," muttered the one in the brown suit and the brown bowler hat.

Kid Flash had just arrived on the scene seconds before and was just in time to catch that comment. "Nope, not today, but don't think that means you're getting off easy." He didn't have room to maneuver on the thin walkways, so super speed was out, but that didn't mean the speedster couldn't still fight the goon squad. His speed could still be used to add power to his fists, with the added side effect that Baldy never saw the hits coming.

Artemis let her arrows fly, taking out the dynamite with the high-density polyurethane foam, rendering it harmless. With that done, she could go and join the fight at close range.

Superboy let out an angry cry as he send out a punch, striking guy with the bowler hat and another of the men, this one in a pale blue suit. Bowler Hat stumbled and nearly fell off the edge of the metal beam, but managed to regain his balance just in time. Pale Blue wasn't so lucky. He plummeted towards the empty road fast, screaming. Miss Martian quickly used her telekinesis to slow his descent and direct him towards another beam several stories down.

Aqualad was currently going up against the last of the hired men, one with scraggly mousy brown hair and a really skinny dude. Both of these guys wielded crowbars and were pretty adept at swinging them. Thinking quickly, the young Atlantean created a strong shield of solidified water, using it as both offense and defense.

"Come on, come on… Come and get me," taunted Robin with a smirk, taking a single step back towards the edge of the lift.

Fedora growled, taking the bait, and stupidly charged right at the Boy Wonder. He jumped into the air and away from the goon, who missed him completely. Fedora fell flat on his face, skidded across the wood, and had to quickly grab the edge of the lift to keep from taking the twenty-eight-story drop.

Robin shook his head. "And Batman calls _me_ impulsive?" he muttered under his breath.

Kid Flash and Superboy landed punches against each of their respective goons, knocking Baldy and Bowler Hat off the metal beams. Miss Martian caught them and, just like before, lowered them telekinetically to join Pale Blue.

Artemis arrived in time to take Mouse off of Aqualad's hands. She fired a trick arrow directly at him, which instantly turned into a bola that wrapped around the mousy haired crook and had him tied up in no time. That left Aqualad able to use his solidified water shield as a battering ram, which knocked Skinny out cold.

Robin, meanwhile, was enjoying his little game of tag with Fedora, especially since Fedora was still "it." Every punch he threw failed to make contact with the flexible gymnast. "Guess you need more work in the keeping-your-eyes-on-the-target department," he quipped. Finally deciding to end this, Robin leapt up to grab onto the metal bar just above him and kicked Fedora flat in the chest. The man's hat fell off his head as he went sailing right off the lift, landing in the elevator.

Unfortunately, Robin had been too busy with Fedora to notice Baldy had managed to climb up so that he was now just one story below the thirteen year old, taking aim with one of the electronic nail guns left behind by the construction workers. Baldy pulled the trigger and let the nails fly up towards the wooden surface that Batman's protégé was standing on. Surprised, Robin glanced down at the guy. He swiftly dodged each of the projectiles coming his way as Baldy aimed higher, actually trying to hit the youngest member of the team directly.

Left with no other option, Robin jumped towards the metal bars. He managed to grip the nearest one with the tips of his fingers. That put Baldy just above him on the same bar he had grabbed, grinning triumphantly and aiming the nail gun in his face. Miss Martian saw this and, as the gun was fired again, telekinetically directed the nails away from Robin before removing the power tool from the guy's hands.

By this time, Fedora had managed to get the elevator working. While the rest of the team was busy, he had been headed towards his escape. He only slowed the elevator down enough to allow Baldy to catch up with him. The two made their getaway as Robin pulled himself up onto the metal support beam and joined the rest of his gathering teammates.

"Hey, they're getting away!" called out Kid Flash as he noticed the elevator was moving.

"Let them go," Aqualad ordered. "We have the rest."

"Technically, we only needed one," said Robin, reminding them all that Batman had wanted a little more than just the sabotage attempt stopped.

They looked over the rest of the captured saboteurs. Pale Blue, Bowler Hat, and Skinny were subdued, Skinny still out cold. Pale Blue and Bowler Hat were only semi-conscious from the blows Superboy had given them. Mouse was the only one who was fully with it. From where he sat on the support beam still tied up by Artemis' bola, he was staring at the teenagers apprehensively.

"We may not have much time. Someone may have heard the fight and called the police," said Artemis.

Aqualad glanced over to the youngest on their team. He normally wouldn't ask him to do this, but Artemis had a point. Besides, he had a feeling that Batman would probably make the same decision in these circumstances. "Think you can get him to talk?" he asked.

"Definitely," Robin confirmed with a knowing smirk. He had been trained by the best, after all. He slowly walked over to the goon to place himself in perfect proximity, should he need to get in the thug's face. "So, tell me, who's behind this little operation?" he started off conversationally, just as he'd been taught.

"I ain't saying nuthin' til I see my lawyer!" sneered Mouse defiantly, glaring up at the teenagers.

Superboy scoffed. Kid Flash rolled his eyes. Aqualad folded his arms over his chest. Artemis placed her hands on her hips and glared. Miss Martian bit her lip tentatively.

But Robin didn't even blink. He stayed silent for a moment before shrugging carelessly. "All right," he said. Then, he turned his back on the crook. "We're done here." He spoke directly to his team as he started walking back towards them.

Kid Flash heard Miss Martian gasp and saw Artemis give her a look out of the corner of his eye. They all knew this had to be done. They were running out of time before the police got there, and Robin had learned intimidation tactics at the Batman's knee. If anyone could get information out of the criminal in a short amount of time, he could.

And if Mouse's instantly panicked expression was anything to go by, it was working. "Wait! You can't just leave us up here! The cops wouldn't – "

"But we're not the police," was Robin's reply as he whirled around to face the guy. "If you really want us to help you, then you'll give us the name of your boss."

Mouse paled even more, if that was at all possible at this point. "I – I can't! He'll skin me for sure!"

Robin's only change in facial expression was the slight smirk, only about half the size of his usual one, that adorned his face. "Then it looks like you're on your own." He started to turn around again.

"Hey!" Mouse called out to the Boy Wonder in terror, but it did him no good. There was a period of absolute silence before he shouted out, "It's Dirks! Simon Dirks!"

Robin stopped in his tracks. Slowly, he turned back to face the guy. "Dirks?" he asked, making sure he had heard right.

"Yeah, that's it," Mouse said raggedly, swallowing past the obvious lump in his throat.

Satisfied, Robin instantly activated the holographic computer on his glove. He called up a map of the streets and sent an anonymous tip straight to Commissioner Gordon's office computer. If the police weren't on their way before, they would be now and with the exact coordinates they would need to boot.

Kid Flash, meanwhile, had approached Mouse now. "And where exactly does Dirks like to hang out?" he demanded.

"No! No, I can't – " stuttered Mouse, freaking out again.

"It does not matter, Kid. We have all the information we were sent to get," said Aqualad.

"Just in time, too," commented Superboy as they heard the first of the sirens when the squad cars rounded the corners down below.

"The bio-ship isn't far. We should go now," said Artemis.

"Yeah, right," admitted Kid Flash. Getting caught up here by the Gotham City PD would mean blowing their covert status, which would result in a very grumpy Batman, and that was something he knew he could live without.

So by the time Commissioner Gordon and Detective Bullock were rounding up Simon Dirks' men, the Young Justice team was back in Miss Martian's bio-ship heading back towards Mount Justice.

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><p>Okay, so that's the first chapter. Hope you all enjoy it and are encouraged to review.<p>

Before I go, I will channel the Riddler and leave you with a clue:

**RIDDLE ME THIS, RIDDLE ME THAT:**  
><strong>WHY DOES SIMON DIRKS STRIKE FEAR IN THE HEART OF A BAT?<strong>


	2. Discovery

****Disclaimer**: **Young Justice and all related characters and story plots belong to DC Comics, Warner Brothers, and the network on which it airs, Cartoon Network. I am making no profit from this story whatsoever.

**Author's Note: **I promised you all that I'd update within a couple of days, and now I deliver! And I gotta say, I'm completely whelmed by the response! Thank you so much for taking the time to review, guys! You are all so awesome!

Chapter 4 is about half done right now, I have a completed outline for Chapter 5, and I've just started sketching out Chapter 6. Unfortunately, April is the worst time of year for me. My schedule keeps me pretty busy. I'm going to keep doing the best I can to update on a regular basis (hence why I'm making sure to outline chapters ahead of time). For now, here are the next two chapters to entertain you all.

The answer to the riddle lies at the end of this chapter. Read on and see if you were right!

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><p><strong>Discovery<strong>

**MOUNT JUSTICE  
>SEPTEMBER 10, 2:02 EDT<strong>

Robin was more than grateful when the bio-ship arrived at Mount Justice. He was exhausted, having spent the last couple of nights patrolling the streets of Gotham while getting used to his new class schedule at Gotham City Academy during the daytime. He had attended the prestigious school the previous year as a seventh grader, and fortunately all ready knew the layout of the building. His classes, on the other hand, were something else entirely. He was taking all Accelerated classes again (which was pretty much just a fancy term for Honors level courses), and quite a few of his teachers were under the impression that all their students wanted to spend every moment of their free time doing homework. He knew it was just their way of weeding out the students who deserved to be there from those who just couldn't hack it, but that meant Robin would have to suffer through an entire first quarter of excessive homework assignments and class projects before things finally started settling down. And that included the first three days of school.

So, needless to say, he was looking forward to getting home, taking a shower, and going directly to bed. He ignored his needs for the time being, though. There would be plenty of time to let his composure slip when he was safely hidden away in the interior of the Batmobile and enjoying the trip back to Connecticut. For now, he was making his way into the main hall alongside his team, showing no sign of fatigue.

And, like the rest of his team, skidded to an abrupt stop as soon as they entered the room, staring in shock at their visitors.

They had expected Red Tornado and Black Canary. As their caretaker and combat trainer respectively, they considered it a priority to be around for the debriefing after the missions, provided that there was nothing else going on at the time. This especially worked well for Black Canary in that she heard Batman's critics herself and was able to adjust the team's training regime to accommodate the lacking skills.

But they never expected to see Superman.

The Man of Steel was staring at them now, looking awkward. Robin suspected that he had come to speak with Black Canary and Red Tornado, but hadn't expected the teens to return so soon. Behind him, he could practically feel the tension that had to be coming from Superboy as he stared at the older Kryptonian.

Fortunately, Red Tornado intervened before anything could happen. "You're much earlier than we anticipated. I take it you were successful," he said.

"Yes. The target did intend to take out the apartment building, but we stopped them just in time," replied Kaldur as they walked over to join the others.

"Good job," congratulated Black Canary. "Batman will be here to debrief you shortly. He's been held up by League business elsewhere."

_Yeah, right,_ Robin thought sarcastically to himself. Batman wasn't doing anything for the Justice League at the moment. Rather, Bruce Wayne was hosting a Wayne Foundations charity event to raise money for the Gotham City Cancer Treatment Center. His ward, Dick Grayson, was also supposed to be in attendance, but then the mission had come up, and Bruce had agreed that Robin needed to help the team more than Dick needed to be at the charity event.

"So, Superman, what brings you here, huh?" asked Wally, a note of extreme curiosity in his voice.

Superman stared at the speedster for a moment, as though he'd been hoping this wouldn't come up. Finally, he answered in a short, clipped tone, "League business. Which I should be getting back to." With a final glance in Superboy's direction, he started heading towards the exit.

A strange emotion flashed through Superboy's eyes as his shoulders slumped slightly. Robin recognized the signs for what they were: disappointment. Superboy had probably been hoping Superman had finally decided to accept him, but that was obviously not the case.

There was only one thing to do.

"Hey, Superman! What's the hurry? Why don't you stick around a while? At least until Batman gets here," suggested Robin, taking a few steps towards the departing hero of Metropolis.

Superman stalled, just as he knew he would, and turned to face Robin. "I'm… not sure that's a good idea," he said hesitantly, stealing another glance in his clone's direction.

Robin knew why Clark was looking for a way to get out of there. Bruce had told him all about that little conversation they had while the team was dealing with Dr. Ivo and his android. His adopted father had said that Clark was still having trouble dealing with the knowledge that someone had stolen his DNA for the purposes of making a clone. Both guardian and ward understood where the Man of Steel was coming from, they just didn't approve.

Batman had told Superboy after that same mission that Kryptonians had hard heads. But Robin knew one of the few things that could make the Boy Scout crumble… and it had nothing to do with Kryptonite.

"Come on, Clark, please?" Robin said softly, putting on a slight pout. If he could have taken off his mask, he would've thrown in the puppy-dog eyes that even Batman couldn't resist, but for right now, he'd have to make do and hope the tone and pout would be enough.

And sure enough, Superman caved. Heaving a heavy sigh, he crossed over to the Boy Wonder and gave him a genuine smile. He ruffled the boy's raven hair as he passed him by to go rejoin Black Canary. Robin laughed, both at the older man's antics and at the knowledge that Superman had just once again walked into the only trap he fell for every single time.

And everyone in the room had seen it happen. Black Canary, who was well aware of Robin's ability, merely shook her head with a knowing smile on her face. Superboy was clearly stunned, but trying hard not to let it show. Megan and Artemis, who had never been witness to their youngest teammate's charm before, stared at the Boy Wonder, clearly impressed. Kaldur was grinning as well, while Wally fumed and muttered, "How the heck does he DO that?" Red Tornado, of course, was unable to show emotion on his mechanical face, and even if he could, he wouldn't have called either one of them out.

"So, the mission was a success?" asked Superman, obviously trying to get everyone's minds off the fact that he had just let a thirteen-year old in tights one-up him.

"Yeah. Waiting for them to arrive was the annoying part, what with Wally constantly complaining in all of our heads like a five-year old," said Artemis, earning a loud "Hey!" from said redhead.

"We also got the name of the man who hired them," said Megan. "Simon Dirks."

"Simon Dirks?" Black Canary considered the name. "I've never heard of him."

"He could be a new criminal. Unless Batman knows him," said Superman.

"Not that I'm aware of. But if he does, then his name might be in the Batcomputer's criminal files," Robin told them.

"Think you can hack into it from here?" asked Superboy.

"With both hands tied behind my back," bragged Robin confidently. And, really, that had been a really stupid question.

"Hold on. I don't think Batman would appreciate you viewing the contents of his computer database without his permission," said Superman sternly.

"It doesn't hurt to let them try, Superman. For all we know, Batman hasn't heard of this Simon Dirks," said Red Tornado reasonably.

Taking this as a sign to proceed, Robin went over to the computer and hooked up the Cave's systems to his wrist computer. It took him less than a minute to access the Batcomputer and even less than that to get into the criminal profiles.

"Okay, let's see. Simon Dirks…" He carefully typed the name into the search bar and hit enter. The computer came up with a match almost instantly. "There!"

Robin could feel his team and the three members of the Justice League gather around him to look at the record that the Batcomputer had just provided them.

"'Alias: Sid the Squid, Killa Coburn Punky Lesh, Billy Marin…'" Kaldur read aloud.

"And it looks like Simon Dirks is just another one of those aliases," noted the Boy Wonder. "If it was his real name, we'd have a picture and a full profile."

"So we have no idea who he really is?" demanded Superboy.

"Only one way to find out," said Robin, and he typed in the code that would take them directly to Dirks' criminal record.

But there was no way to prepare him for what he was about to see.

The information was displayed before them all on the computer screen. Name, known aliases, age, height, weight, hair and eye color, known identification markings, and all ten fingerprints.

There was also the picture, the picture of a man Robin knew all too well, for it was a face that still haunted every dark corner of his nightmares.

He suddenly felt an intense wave of terror flow all over his body. His heart had started racing the moment the computer came up with a positive identification. He could feel his breath catch in his chest, making it harder and harder to breath. His body was trembling. The entire room seemed to be spinning wildly out of control, except for the man's face.

"Oh, my God…" Clark's voice sounded distant, breathless even. But beyond that, the voices of his friends slowly began to fade around him.

This couldn't be real. He had to be dreaming. Any minute now, he'd wake up in his bed, screaming, and Bruce would sweep him into his arms and hold him until the images went away again.

But this wasn't a dream. It was really happening. It was –

"Tony Zucco…"

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><p>Congratulations to TheNightwingFan, Batman, SerinaAce, pulchra fibula, and robindjtsd11dp for figuring out the riddle!<p> 


	3. The Flying Graysons

****Disclaimer**: **Young Justice and all related characters and story plots belong to DC Comics, Warner Brothers, and the network on which it airs, Cartoon Network. I am making no profit from this story whatsoever.

**Author's Note:** And now that I don't have to worry about giving away the answer to the riddle, I can safely say that this episode (and especially this chapter) was inspired by the Emmy Award Winning "Robin's Reckoning" from Batman the Animated Series and "A Matter of Family" from The Batman.

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><p><strong>The Flying Graysons<strong>

**GOTHAM CITY – FOUR YEARS AGO  
>MARCH 23, 13:13 EDT<strong>

They couldn't have asked for better weather. There wasn't a cloud in the sunny sky and the weather report promised that the rest of the week would be just as clear. Spring had finally arrived.

And Haley's Circus was going to celebrate it with a stunningly breathtaking performance tomorrow evening, their first since arriving in town, as part of a charity for the Children's Hospital sponsored by Wayne Foundations. Mr. Bruce Wayne himself was going to be in attendance that night, so the pressure was really on.

Not that the circus had anything to worry about. They were truly the best around, and it didn't hurt that they had the greatest family of acrobats this side of the Mississippi – the Flying Graysons.

Speaking of which, wasn't it getting late? "Hey, isn't it time to practice?" asked Richard Grayson, the youngest of the acrobats, having only turned nine three days ago.

His mother, Mary Grayson, a beautiful woman with flaxen blonde hair that she usually kept tied in a ponytail while not performing and the dark blue eyes he had inherited, smiled at him. "Now, Dick, you know the rules. No leaving the table before you've finished everything on your plate," she said gently.

Dick frowned, disgusted. He hated broccoli! But he also knew that his parents wouldn't let him get up until he'd eaten everything. So he swallowed his pride and shoved the last piece of broccoli into his mouth, but he was careful not to chew it as he smiled up at his mom and dad innocently.

John Grayson, his father, from whom Dick had gotten his black hair, laughed at his antics. "Okay, fair enough," he said, still chuckling.

Carefully, Dick made sure to wipe his mouth with his napkin (for the sole purpose of spitting the broccoli into it and not actually having anything to do with him wanting to have a clean mouth) before getting up from the table and running out the door with a loud cheer.

"I'm telling you, Mary, a leash is the only answer for that Boy Wonder," he heard his dad say behind him and his mother's delicate laughter in response.

Dick ran all the way to the big top in the center of the circus grounds. It was here that the Flying Graysons would give their performance, and he couldn't wait. He loved being able to show off for large crowds of people. For Dick, growing up as a circus kid was just about the coolest thing ever.

He had just entered the tent when he heard raised voices.

"You heard me! Get out!"

Skidding to a stop, Dick couldn't help staring at the sight before him. There were two men standing in the center ring, and it looked like they were having some sort of argument. One of them he recognized as Mr. Haley, the owner of the circus. But the other guy in the business suit was new.

"I run an honest business here. I'm not about to pay protection money to someone of your ilk," growled Mr. Haley angrily.

Dick was shocked. He'd never seen the kind and slightly overweight man this mad at anyone before, even with rude circus goers.

"But without insurance, Mr. Haley, how will you be able to keep up this fine establishment should there ever be an… _accident_," said the businessman. His voice sounded so… strange.

"Don't make me say it again! Get off my property or I'll call the cops!" Mr. Haley said, pointing towards the exit, where Dick was still standing frozen.

The strange man made a face, like he was angry. "Suit yourself, old man. But trust me when I say you're gonna want ta keep my number handy. 'Cause I have a feeling you're gonna be in need of Tony Zucco. Count on it!"

With that, the man turned and stomped in the direction of the tent entrance. Dick was still watching him as he passed, which the man noticed and sent a mean look his way. "What're you looking at, punk?" he snapped and left the tent swiftly.

Dick's eyes followed him out as he stood frozen to the spot. He couldn't suppress the shudder that rolled through him. He didn't like that man, not one little bit.

Mr. Haley had finally seen that Dick was in the tent and walked over to where the boy stood. "You okay, son?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, but who was that guy, Mr. Haley?"

"Just some thug. Don't you worry about him, Dick. He won't be bothering us again," Mr. Haley swore, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze.

Dick was foolish to believe him.

But he wouldn't realize that until it was too late.

**GOTHAM CITY – FOUR YEARS AGO  
>MARCH 24, 20:00 EDT<strong>

The following evening was the night of the Haley's Circus Big Top Extravaganza featuring the Flying Graysons. It seemed as though nearly all the citizens of Gotham City had come out that night to enjoy themselves. The stands quickly filled with people and before too long, the performance began.

"Ladies and gentlemen, and children of all ages! Welcome to the grandest show on Earth! And before we begin, how about a round of applause for our generous benefactor, the White Knight of Gotham, Bruce Wayne!"

Dick could hear the voice of Mr. Haley over the loudspeakers and the tremendous applause that came from the stands from where he was in the changing area. And that was where he was gonna stay. As much as he loved performing, there was no way he was going out there looking like an escapee from Arkham Asylum!

"Dick, honey, come on out," called his mother's voice from the waiting area just beyond.

"No! I look like a loser!" said Dick, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Now, son, you don't want to upset your mother. She worked hard on the new costumes. And you wouldn't want to disappoint all those people out there who are looking forward to see you on that trapeze, hmm?"

Dick sighed. His dad had a point. Lowering his arms to his sides and taking a deep breath, he pulled back the curtains and stepped into the light.

His parents were wearing leotards of red and gold. Dick wore dark green pants and a scarlet red top with canary yellow accents. On the left side of his chest was his first initial "R" in black thread surrounded by a canary yellow circle.

Dick grimaced. "Why is this costume so… colorful?" he grumbled.

His mom walked over and knelt in front of him, smiling as she did so and fingering the "R" on his shirt. "Because when I see you flying around up there, Richard, you make me think of a little robin."

It didn't take very long for that comment to process in the nine-year old boy's mind. "A _robin_? Like the _bird_? _Mom!_ That's so _girly_!" he groaned loudly.

"Well, if you don't like Robin, we could always call you our Flying Squirrel instead," joked his dad as he came over to join his wife and son. Both his parents laughed as Dick fumed.

It was at that very moment that one of the crewmembers walked by. He looked just like any of the others, but Dick instantly felt that something was not right… especially after the guy bumped him on his way passed. The child turned to angrily tell him off just as the man glanced back at him before hurrying out of the tent.

He had only seen his face for half a second, but Dick would recognize that mean looking face anywhere.

It was the businessman who had been arguing with Mr. Haley the previous day.

Dick grabbed his dad's arm to get his attention. "Dad! It's him! It's the guy that – "

"Not now, Dick, we're about to go on," his mom said suddenly, placing her arms on her son's shoulders and rushing him out into the big top.

It was only now that Dick heard their cue from Mr. Haley.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, direct your attention high above the center ring for a dazzling display of aerial artistry! Performing their daring death-defying stunts without the aid of a net, the fearless Flying Graysons!"

The family had made it to the top of the platforms just in time for the spotlight to hit them. The three waved at the crowd before beginning their act.

His dad went first to provide a base for both of his loved ones. He was met with cheers and delighted applause from the pleased audience as he somersaulted from one bar to the next.

And then it was Dick's turn. He gripped the trapeze tight as he swung from it and then flipped off, easily grasping his dad's arms when it was time. As he soared through the air, he could hear Mr. Haley's voice shouting, "That's Richard, folks, the youngest member of this amazing family! He just turned nine on the twentieth of this month! Quite a talented young lad, isn't he?"

By this time, Dick had made his way back to the platform where his mom was waiting him. She gave him a big hug and kissed his forehead in praise for a wonderful first move. She then took the trapeze bar from him and swung herself off the platform.

Dick watched her go with a huge smile. He loved being out there himself, but he loved watching his parents work together as a team, too. Waiting for his next turn, he absently glanced up…

…and gasped in horror.

The rope connected to one of the trapeze was breaking, held together by a single strand of thread.

And his dad was on that trapeze!

"Dad!" Dick screamed.

But his dad never glanced at him. His eyes were on his wife, his outstretched arms catching her just as she switched trapezes. The momentum swung them away from Dick.

And that was when the rope snapped.

* * *

><p>Sorry for the abrupt break in the action, but I figured that would be a good place to stop.<p>

I'll probably have the fourth chapter up before the end of the weekend, Monday morning at the latest.

To give you all something to look forward to, I'll give you this juicy little tidbit: it'll be told from the viewpoint of the two Supers.


	4. Open Wounds

****Disclaimer**: **Young Justice and all related characters and story plots belong to DC Comics, Warner Brothers, and the network on which it airs, Cartoon Network. I am making no profit from this story whatsoever.

**Author's Note: **I know! I promised this would be up this morning, but there were technical difficulties with the website (and I'm sure I'm not the only one who experienced it). But, it's still Monday where I am, so at least this is still getting posted on the same day.

Currenly working on Chapter 5 and I hope to have it up within the next couple of days.

* * *

><p><strong>Open Wounds<strong>

**MOUNT JUSTICE  
>SEPTEMBER 10, 2:16AM EDT<strong>

Superboy narrowed his eyes as he studied the image of the man on the screen. Tony Zucco. The name had no significance for the clone, but obviously it did to Batman if the Dark Knight had kept records on him.

He studied the information that Batman had managed to collect. He had dark blackish-brown hair and brown eyes, a typical trait in most Italian-Americans, Superboy understood, thanks to the knowledge that Cadmus had the g-gnomes implant into him. He was thirty-five years old, weighted a hundred and ninety-five pounds, and stood at six foot one. He had no notable identification markings.

He pretty much sounded like an ordinary criminal. And he was definitely human. Batman would have put it in the file if he had any special powers.

"Tony Zucco?" questioned Kaldur, jarring Superboy out of his thoughts. Naturally, the other members of his team had been processing the facts provided by the Batcomputer, too.

"I know that name… Why do I know that name?" wondered Artemis aloud.

"He's gotta be a big deal. I mean, Bats doesn't keep records like this about just anybody," said Wally, who was chewing on an apple that he must have gotten from the kitchen when nobody was paying attention.

"Why would he need all those aliases, though? I know the bad guys like to hide who they are in order to throw the cops off their trails, but having five different identities, plus his real name?" Megan said.

"It might just mean that he knew Batman was onto him," said Kaldur.

A strange sound alerted Superboy to the fact that something wasn't quite right. Tuning out the rest of what their team's leader was saying, he focused in on the sound. Now that he was listening, it sounded exactly like a… heartbeat? If it was, then it was really, really fast. And there was another noise that accompanied it. Was that… wheezing?

"Maybe there's something you can tell us, Superman. I mean, you recognized him right away, didn't you?" Superboy heard Artemis ask as he cast his gaze around to locate the source of the palpitations and heavy breathing.

It didn't take long, as the sounds caused him to glance sideways in the direction of the Boy Wonder. Robin hadn't said a word since he'd practically whispered Simon Dirks' real name. He stood frozen, staring at the man on the screen. Superboy couldn't see his eyes beneath the domino mask, but from the rest of his facial expression, he could tell Robin was dazed.

"I… only know him by reputation," Superman was saying hesitantly. "Zucco was one of the major mafia bosses in Gotham City four years ago. It was the same deal, promising insurance to businesses and sabotaging them when they refused to pay. One of his stunts… actually… killed… two people."

"That's horrible!" gasped Megan.

"I can't believe Batman never caught this guy!" exclaimed Wally furiously. "He should be rotting in a jail cell right now, not roaming the streets, planning to strike again!"

As Wally continued to rant, Superboy continued to study their youngest teammate. Robin was clearly gasping for air now, his heart pounding a mile a minute against his ribcage. He was shaking, too, and obviously so.

Superboy's suspicions had been right. Something was wrong. He'd never seen Robin behave like this.

"It shouldn't be much longer before Batman arrives. As soon as he does, Aqualad will – "

"Robin?" Superboy asked, cutting Red Tornado off without meaning to.

Surprised by the young Kryptonian's sudden interest, the rest of the team and the three League members stared at him, and then followed his gaze over to the boy in question. In the sudden silence, Robin's erratic breaths were even more noticeable. Superboy found himself wondering how his super hearing hadn't picked up on it before.

"Hey, Rob, you okay, man?" asked Wally, his tone concerned, as he took a careful step towards his best friend. "Rob?"

But it appeared as though Robin hadn't even heard him. If anything, his breathing only became more erratic and the palpitations grew worse.

Before anyone else could say anything, before they had even moved, Superman was suddenly standing in front of the Bat's partner, kneeling down so he'd be at eye level and placing his hands on the boy's shoulders.

"Robin, look at me," said the Man of Steel, his voice calm and soft. "It's okay. Don't look at the screen, look at me. I'm right here, Robin. Everything's okay now."

It took a little more coaxing before Robin finally broke his gaze away from the image of Tony Zucco. When he did, he looked Superman directly in the eyes. The older man took this as a sign and, nodding, moved his hands to just beneath Robin's arms. As he stood up, he lifted the black haired boy into his arms. Unfortunately, that put Robin directly eye-to-eye with Zucco's picture and when he realized this, he let out a petrified whimper and started struggling against the Kryptonian holding him, like he was trying to get away.

"Take it easy, Robin, I got you. You're okay, you're safe," Superman spoke softly, all ready starting to move away from the gathered heroes. Without stopping, he called over his shoulder. "Contact Batman. Tell him what's happened. And make sure the kids stay here." And then the two were gone.

No one moved. They were all staring after Superman, trying to piece together what had just happened. Superboy glanced over at their mentors in time to notice the significant look that passed between Black Canary and Red Tornado. His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Once Superman had brought the trembling thirteen-year old into the living room, he walked right over to the sofa and sat down, placing Robin right next to him. Now that they were alone, he could really give Bruce's son a good onceover. When Superboy had called their attention to the young bird, Clark could tell that the boy was in the throws of a panic attack. And right now, it was only getting worse. His chest was rising and falling way too fast for the Boy Scout's liking. Carefully, Clark lifted Dick back into his arms and let him rest his head against his chest.

"Shh, calm down, Robin. Just breath with me, okay. Breath with me," Superman encouraged softly, making sure to take deep and even breaths himself.

The process was agonizingly slow, Clark keeping himself in check so that his chest would rise and fall in slow, precise movements, Dick's ragged gasping morphing into choked sobs as he buried his face in the older hero's chest, tears soaking the S insignia. But the young teen just wasn't calming down.

Black Canary tentatively stepped into the room, watching the scene unfold with worried eyes. "I got through to Batman. He was just getting back to the Batcave. He said that he'd be here as soon as he could," she said softly, not wanting to disturb the traumatized boy any more than he already was.

Superman nodded. "Thank you, Dinah," he said.

The blonde woman nodded in acknowledgement. "How is he doing?" she asked after a brief silence.

"Not that good," sighed the Man of Steel honestly, allowing his fingers to run through Robin's dark locks as he buried himself further into the alien's embrace.

"The kids have been asking about him. They don't understand what set him off," Dinah told him.

"Do you?" asked Clark, turning his blue eyes upon her now. He knew that it wasn't just the Young Justice team that was kept out of the loop. There were very few within the Justice League who actually knew the true identities of Batman and Robin. It had nothing to do with the fact that Bruce didn't trust them and more to do with the fact that he was very overprotective of his ward. Of course, he had a good reason to be, especially now that Zucco was back on the streets of Gotham.

Black Canary gave a grim smile. "Bruce figured that, since I was going to be taking on the role as the team's trainer, it was important that I knew exactly where Robin's acrobatic strengths come from. That, and he knew that there would be times where his memories would distract him," she explained.

He nodded. So now that Black Canary knew, that brought the total number up to seven with in the League.

The boy in his arms was finally starting to quiet down. His quivering had lessened considerably, and he was no longer gasping for breath. Even his sobbing had subsided for the most part. He didn't pull away from the Kryptonian, still seeking comfort and knowing on some level that this was where he'd be safe until his adopted father arrived.

Superman remembered the day he met the Boy Wonder. It had been about a month after the Dark Knight had taken him in. Back then, it was unheard of for heroes to work side-by-side with junior partners. The arrival of Robin was quite the novelty, one that intrigued many reporters all over the country. None of the League was sure what to make of it. They just couldn't see the Batman teaming up with a young boy, especially after how challenging it had been to get him to agree to join them three years previously.

And then Lex Luthor hired Black Mask and Clayface to kidnap Lois Lane and bring her to a warehouse in Gotham City as a way of luring Superman to him. When Superman had gone down under a laser gun that emitted red sun radiation, Batman and Robin arrived to lend a hand. When the battle was over, the Man of Steel was able to get a better look at the youth. Lois' inquisitive nature had provided most of the important details, like the fact that the boy was only nine. Superman had been so shocked by that little detail, he pulled his colleague aside and, while Lois fawned over Robin, actually questioned him about the wisdom of this decision. Batman had, of course, gotten defensive, like he usually did when his actions were under attack. He escorted his son away pretty fast after that, keeping his hand on the boy's shoulder all the way back to the Batmobile.

It wasn't until later, when Luthor carried out his true plan to use the technology he'd stolen from Jervis Tetch (a.k.a. the Mad Hatter) that he himself had combined with Kryptonite in order to control Superman's mind, that he saw exactly what had attracted the billionaire to the acrobat. Robin had clearly been scared, for Superman as well as for Batman and himself, but he never let it show. He'd been able to keep his cool and hold his own against the Man of Steel. Clark had certainly been impressed.

And it didn't hurt that the kid had the most irresistible puppy dog eyes the Boy Scout had ever seen.

"Superman," said Dinah softly, drawing him out of his thoughts. She was looking down at Robin. Following her gaze, he saw that the Batman's protégé was finally still, his deep and steady breathing indicating that he had drifted off.

He sighed in quiet relief. Maybe now the kid would find a little bit of peace.

"Dinah, could you go get me a washcloth?" Superman asked in a whisper as he began to remove the damp domino mask.

Black Canary nodded and left the room. The Man of Steel reached into Robin's utility belt and pulled out the dark shades he kept in one of the pockets for emergencies. He'd put them on once the boy's face was dry. He knew it wasn't worth the effort, that Batman would easily be able to see how upset his partner had been, but it was the least Superman could do.

The child in his arms shifted slightly, a low moan escaping his lips.

"Bruce…"

Clark winced, tightening his arms protectively. He was doing everything he could think of, but he knew it wasn't enough. Right now, what Robin really needed was the closest thing to a father he had left.

"He's coming, Dick. He's coming for you, I promise," Clark whispered.

* * *

><p>Okay, so there's the fourth chapter. Please leave nice reviews. iTunes is really pissing me off, and I need something that's going to cheer me up right now. (Anybody every hear of an Audio CD not burning due to a "Medium Write Error?" Because the people at the Apple company have no clue how to fix it. Figures! They just make the program! God forbid they should know how to fix their errors!)<p>

Sorry about ranting. Just had to get that off my chest.

Keep your eyes peeled for Chapter Five. Here's a hint: More on Dick's past, courtesy of Bruce Wayne.


	5. The Heart of a Bat

****Disclaimer**: **Young Justice and all related characters and story plots belong to DC Comics, Warner Brothers, and the network on which it airs, Cartoon Network. I am making no profit from this story whatsoever.

**Author's Note: **Okay, so this is a _tiny_ bit later than I said it would be, but like I've been telling people, this week has been super busy. I'm hoping to have some free time this week to actually knock off a couple of chapters, but we'll see how it goes.

Thank you so much for the reviews for this chapter, guys. After the crap with iTunes, they certainly made me feel better. And I really appreciate the feedback.

This chapter is longer than the others, but there was just no good place to stop it. But don't expect me to make a habit of this.

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><p><strong>The Heart of a Bat<strong>

**RHODE ISLAND STATE LINE  
>SEPTEMBER 10, 02:45 EDT<strong>

It was quite fortunate that there weren't any other cars on the road at this moment, considering how fast the high-tech black car was going. The Batmobile was one of the fastest cars in the world, and it was really being put through it's paces tonight. Even so, Batman willed it to go even faster.

His son needed him.

The roar of the engine failed to block out Black Canary's words, which had been ringing in his head since he'd gotten the call.

_"Batman, it's Robin. He's having a panic attack. Superman's with him now, but you'd better get here."_

She'd refused to say what had been the cause of the attack – the other members of the Young Justice team had probably been in the room at the time, which meant Dinah had to be careful of what she said out loud, lest she reveal anything that could lead to Robin's identity. But it did nothing to ease the detective's worry.

Robin had never had a panic attack before. He was such a strong kid, even after having been a witness to his own parents' murders. There weren't many people who had gone through something like that and could make that claim.

But Dick Grayson had always been special. Batman had known that even before he really got to know the boy.

It was one of the reasons he had decided to intervene as Bruce Wayne.

**GOTHAM CITY – FOUR YEARS AGO  
>MARCH 24, 11:29 EDT<strong>

The police began escorting people out of the stands immediately upon their arrival. One of the circus folk had volunteered to retrieve the sole surviving Grayson from the platform, as it was clear that the child was in too much shock to make his own way down. As soon as his feet were on the ground, the boy was whisked away by the police.

There was nothing that the EMTs could do for the Graysons. They'd died instantly on impact, nearly every bone in their bodies broken. The police made an outline of the corpses before allowing the ambulance to take the victims away. The couple's son watched from his place sitting on the stands next to one of the officers, his arms wrapped around himself, trembling and sobbing quietly as fresh tears made their way down his face.

Bruce Wayne stood out of the way, a silent observer. He couldn't take his eyes off the orphan, or his mind off of his the death of own parents that night in Crime Alley so many years ago.

Commissioner Gordon arrived just as they had finally gotten the boy – Dick – talking. Bruce couldn't hear him from where they were sitting, but from the look of the officer's face as she continued coaxing information out of the boy, it was clear that she was disturbed by whatever he was telling her. Within the next couple of minutes, she was calling Commissioner Gordon over to speak with the boy, as well. Instinctively, the billionaire slowly made his way closer as the head of the police department began his interview.

And he overheard as the child told his story about the man who had come to the circus, the man named Tony Zucco.

"I – I – I think that guy had something to do with it. I saw him here yesterday. He was talking with Mr. Haley, and he said something about there being an accident. And then I saw him again tonight. He was leaving the tent just as we were about to go on. I tried to tell my dad, b – but…" He trailed off, burying his face in his hands as he started crying again.

"Easy, son. It's going to be okay," soothed Commissioner Gordon, gently rubbing the boy's back in a gesture of comfort, ignorant of the man standing a short distance away who had heard the whole thing.

Bruce's form had gone rigid, his eyes narrowed.

This was _no_ accident.

His gaze wandered over to the young child once more. His face automatically softened as he watched Commissioner Gordon stand up and leave him to his grief. Left him alone.

No child should have to go through this alone.

"I want an APB on this Tony Zucco, and I want it right now," Commissioner Gordon demanded the nearest detective.

"What about the boy?" asked Bruce, speaking for the first time that night since he'd watched the Graysons fall.

The commissioner and the detective turned around quickly. "Mr. Wayne!" said Commissioner Gordon in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I was in the audience. Couldn't leave after this," he answered honestly. He looked over at the orphan again. "Does he have anyone?"

"No," sighed Commissioner Gordon sadly, "his parents were all the family he had." He, too, turned around to face the sobbing child. "Some of the circus people have all ready offered to take him in, but… well, I'm not so sure that's the best thing for him right now. The kid may not know exactly what he saw, but he's still the only witness we got. Zucco could come after him. It would be a lot safer for him in a safe house somewhere."

Bruce knew he was right. The boy wasn't safe as long as Zucco roamed free. As Batman, he could see to getting the murderer behind bars, but that wouldn't help the boy now. The only safe house that he could possibly be put into that he wouldn't be found was the Gotham City Orphanage, the only establishment that could make Arkham Asylum look like a seaside resort. Most of the children who lived there full time were juvenile delinquents, and the staff couldn't care less about any of them. It was no place for a traumatized nine-year old.

When Bruce thought back on his own childhood, he could remember Alfred always being there to guide him through the dark and difficult days. Didn't this boy deserve the same? Someone who understood his pain, who would always be there?

"Jim, I think I may be able to help you out."

**GOTHAM CITY – FOUR YEARS AGO  
>MARCH 25, 09:06 EDT<strong>

Bruce made sure to return bright and early the following morning, just as Commissioner Gordon had suggested. They didn't want to leave Dick out in the open more than was necessary. He insisted that Alfred drive the town car so as not to scare the boy even more. By now, he would've been informed of his new living arrangements, and Bruce hoped to ease the boy's nerves, even if just a little.

He and Alfred stayed by the car at first, watching Dick say goodbye to the people who worked for Haley's Circus. They had been his family for the first part of his life. There was no need to take him away just yet. So they simply looked on as Mr. Haley placed his hands on Dick's shoulders, and as Dick hugged him one last time. Finally, Bruce stepped over to the unique family and placed his hand upon Dick's shoulder as he pulled away, forcing the boy to look up at him with those deep blue eyes of his.

"Hello, Dick. I'm Bruce Wayne," he introduced himself with a smile. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Hello… Mr. Wayne. A-and… thank you," said Dick nervously.

Bruce gripped his shoulder in what he hoped was a reassuring manner as he turned to the circus owner and nodded his head. Mr. Haley returned the nod, glancing over Bruce's shoulder as Commissioner Gordon stepped closer to escort them back to the town car. Together, the three made their way over to Alfred, who had the door open and ready to receive the newest addition to their family. Commissioner Gordon would be following behind them in an unmarked car to ensure that Zucco didn't try anything.

The first part of the drive to Wayne Manor was filled with awkward silence. Dick stared out the window, watching the buildings go by as they made their way to the opposite side of Gotham City. Bruce wasn't really sure what to say, if he should say anything at all. But before he could make up his mind, he was surprised by a young voice.

"I… heard that you offered to pay for the funeral."

Bruce turned his head towards Dick, but the boy wasn't looking at him. His eyes were still glued to the window as they left the outskirts of the city.

"Yes, I did," he answered. He waited for a moment, wanting to see if Dick would elaborate on that, but he didn't. "So… how are you holding up?"

"I'll be okay… at least, that's what the police and Mr. Haley and everyone at the circus kept saying," Dick answered honestly.

Silence fell again just as they were rounding the final bend that would lead them up to Wayne Manor. As they passed through the wrought iron gates, Bruce heard a soft intake of breath. When the car stopped, he nodded to Alfred to go around and open Dick's door, and the loyal butler complied. Bruce got out of the car and went around to meet them.

"This is it," he said as the boy got out of the car.

"I'll take your bags in, Master Dick," said Alfred as he closed the door and moved to the trunk.

Dick didn't acknowledge either man, staring awestruck at the large estate.

Commissioner Gordon departed as soon as they got Dick inside the house, wishing the boy luck as he went. The two men knew that the trip had probably worn the boy out, so they decided to bring him straight upstairs to his new bedroom. It had been thoroughly cleaned the previous night, Alfred dusting the furniture, changing the bed sheets and drapes, vacuuming the carpet, and removing the easily breakable valuables from the room. It had been quite a while since Bruce had used this room. Now, it was ready for it's new occupant.

"I hope you find this room to your liking. It was Master Bruce's when he was your age," said Alfred as he pulled open the drapes to allow sunlight to enter through the large paned windows.

Bruce watched Dick carefully as he glanced around the room. He was nervous again, biting his lip anxiously and his dark blue eyes wide with poorly hidden fear. He was clearly overwhelmed by everything that had happened, and it hadn't even been twenty-four hours yet.

Kneeling down so that he was at the nine-year old boy's height and would therefore appear less intimidating, Bruce placed a hand on his shoulder. "It won't be easy, Dick, but you just have to take it one day at a time, okay?" he said gently, looking directly into Dick's eyes as he spoke. "I want you to consider this your home, too, for as long as you wish it to be."

The effect was nearly instantaneous. The fear in Dick's eyes cleared as he smiled up at his guardian. "Thank you, Mr. Wayne."

"Bruce," the billionaire gently encouraged the boy.

Dick relaxed fully, his unease fading completely. "Thank you… Bruce."

Alfred suggested they let Dick get himself settled in private, and Bruce agreed. Besides, he had work to do down in the Batcave. The sooner he caught Tony Zucco, the easier Dick would sleep at night.

**GOTHAM CITY – FOUR YEARS AGO  
>MARCH 27, 18:00 EDT<strong>

The next few days were difficult. They were all following Bruce's advice of taking it one day at a time, but that didn't make it any less emotional.

His very first night, Dick had gotten lost while trying to find his way down to the dining room. He was laying on the hard wood floor in one of the upstairs closets, curled up with his knees pressed against his chest and his arms wrapped tightly around his legs, tears rolling silently down his cheeks, by the time Alfred found him. The next day, Alfred took it upon himself to give Dick a proper tour of the manor while Bruce was at work. There were also the little reminders of what the boy had lost. The Graysons' murders, the hunt for Tony Zucco, and Bruce Wayne having taken in the orphaned boy had been front-page news in all the papers found in Gotham City. The television news programs also never failed to bring up the story. Dick didn't show any interest in the newspaper, so it was easy to keep those articles away from him, and Alfred had told Bruce that he had taken to cleaning the living room whenever Dick was watching the TV, just in case.

It was business as usual for Bruce during the day, attending various meetings and just generally making sure things at Wayne Enterprises were running smoothly. His hectic schedule meant that he couldn't spend much time with the young acrobat he had recently taken into his home, but it wasn't like Dick was alone. He had Alfred, and he'd have friends his own age once Bruce enrolled him in school.

Bruce had seen Dick in passing as Alfred was serving his dinner. The evening of the twenty-seventh was no exception. Alfred had set the boy up in the seat just to the left of the head of the table. From his position hidden just beyond the door connecting the dining room to the hall, Bruce watched as Dick sat down, glancing around the room again for what must have been the hundredth time.

"You know, I think this table might just be bigger than the trailer my family used to live in," Dick said with a slight smirk.

Bruce smiled. Dick had been doing that a lot over the last couple of days, he understood, cracking small jokes. He was glad to finally be able to see it in person.

"Yes, I imagine so. It can seat up to twenty-two people at a time," Alfred responded. "Now, I know you've had a rough day and probably aren't very hungry, but do try to finish everything on your plate."

Dick nodded his head, turning back to his dinner. But then his eyes wandered over to Bruce's empty seat and, even as the Dark Knight watched, his smile faded instantly.

"So, where's Bruce? Isn't he coming down to eat?" he asked, his tone suggesting that he was trying to hide something.

"I'm afraid not tonight, Dick," said Bruce apologetically as he stepped into the room and joined them at the table. "I've unfortunately got to attend a late meeting. It could be… _fruitful_." He aimed this last comment at Alfred, who understood immediately.

"Very good, sir," he told the billionaire with a nod. Bruce gripped Dick's shoulder briefly before strolling out of the room again. But the sound of the boy's voice brought him to a stop just outside the door once more.

"He has a meeting every night! Who does he see?"

"Some of the most influential people in Gotham City," said Alfred honestly.

There was a slight pause before Dick spoke again. "He's never around, is he?"

Bruce blinked. Did Dick sound… sad?

"I'm afraid his work demands much of his time," was Alfred's quiet reply.

Moving away from the door, Bruce thought over everything that had happened over the course of the day. The Graysons' funeral had been just that morning. Bruce had arranged for Dick's parents to be buried in the same cemetery as his parents. He had selected two elegant dark brownish-red coffins, and two plain marble headstones for their names to be bared upon. A bouquet of red roses lay upon each of the coffins. The service was small, but appropriate. Dick stood at the foot of the two coffins holding the bodies of his beloved parents, Bruce and Alfred on either side of him. Bruce kept his hand gently on the boy's shoulder to comfort him, as Dick had started tearing up and shaking at the site of the large boxes.

"I miss them… It's just not fair…" Dick had said when they were finally alone after the service had ended.

He was right. It wasn't fair. No child should have to suffer like this. That was why Batman was around, to bring the criminals to justice before anyone else had to go through something like this. He couldn't have helped Dick's family. He hadn't known about it. But he knew now, and he was determined to catch the man responsible.

**GOTHAM CITY – FOUR YEARS AGO  
>MARCH 28, 04:45 EDT<strong>

Every night, Bruce had take to the streets as Batman, combing the city in search of Zucco. For three days, there had been nothing. The word was spreading fast in the underworld that Tony Zucco was having "Bat problems," which was an obvious code for "Batman was hunting down Zucco," so most of the criminals were steering clear of the crime boss. None of them wanted face the wrath of the Caped Crusader. Batman learned that the people he needed to see were those who had been closest to Zucco, preferably sooner rather than later.

That night proved successful. A useful tip from a thug in the Ice Pick Club had lead Batman to Arthur Stromwell, who just happened to be Zucco's uncle. Turned out the man was giving his nephew a place to hide. But the night had ended with a gunfight and Zucco managing to get away.

"I was so close, I could practically smell his putrid stench," he swore later as he related the story to Alfred in the Batcave. He pulled off his cowl and cape, throwing them down onto one of the consoles in frustration. "Well, it won't happen again. Starting right now, Tony Zucco gets my _undivided_ attention."

Alfred frowned unhappily. "How fortunate for Zucco," the loyal butler began, "because there is a little boy upstairs practically crying out for some of that attention."

Bruce turned to face the older man, puzzled. "I'm doing this for him! The criminal responsible for my parents' death was never brought to justice. That's a burden I won't let Dick carry," he stated.

"I understand they say that revenge is sweet, however, at the moment, it is not a crime fighter he needs. He needs a father."

Bruce sighed. Alfred was right. He was always right. His obsession with Zucco had made him lose focus of what was really important: Dick. He had heard it in his tone earlier that evening. Dick was disappointed that his new guardian didn't have the time to spend with him, and he was lonely.

It was time to rectify that.

He finished changing and went up to the boy's room. It was still really early, the sun was a couple of hours from rising, but that didn't mean he couldn't check on him now. But when he opened the door, he found the nine-year old out of bed, sitting on the window seat and looking out at the grounds.

"Dick? Everything all right?" he asked as he stepped into the room.

"Yeah… I couldn't sleep." Dick's voice sounded choked, and when he wiped his hand across his eyes, Bruce knew he'd been crying.

"I'm sorry I haven't been around much these past few days. Sometimes, I forget how lonely this place can get," he said as he sat down next to the boy.

"That's okay, Bruce. I know how important your company is," said Dick, not taking his eyes off the landscape.

"I have some free time coming up. Maybe we could do something, catch a movie or I could get tickets for the next Gotham Knights game," Bruce suggested.

"Yeah, okay." Dick's response wasn't very enthusiastic.

Bruce sighed. He could easily guess what was at the forefront of the boy's thoughts at the moment. It was the reason he was up (helped along, no doubt, by some terrible nightmare). He placed a comforting hand on the boy's knee. "I understand how difficult this is for you," Bruce said invitingly, letting him know without words that he was listening.

And that was when the floodgate burst.

"I could've stopped him! I saw him coming out of the tent! I knew he didn't belong there!" Dick cried out, burying his head in his hands.

"I know," nodded Bruce in understanding. "You can't help but think… if only there had been something you could've done differently, if only you could've warned them. But there isn't anything you could've done. There isn't anything _we_ could've done."

Dick finally looked up at him, tears filling his expressive blue eyes. "You're talking about… your mom and dad?" he asked raggedly.

Bruce nodded, glancing up at the portrait of his father and mother that was still over the fireplace. Maybe it was time it was moved to a different room. He could always find another one to replace it. Perhaps there was one of John and Mary Grayson that the circus kept…

"Does the hurt ever go away?"

He was pulled out of his thoughts by the forlorn question. Glancing down, he saw Dick was still staring at him.

"I wish I could say yes," he answered truthfully. "But it will get better… with time." He gave Dick a sincere smile. "You're not alone, Dick. I will always be here for you. I promise."

Bruce suddenly found his arms occupied as the nine-year old acrobat threw himself into his guardian's embrace, sobbing for all he had lost. The billionaire pulled him close, wrapping him protectively in his hold, comforting the young child who would soon become his entire world.

**HAPPY HARBOR  
>SEPTEMBER 10, 02:50 EDT<strong>

He had fulfilled the promise he made that day, both as Bruce Wayne and as Batman. Dick Grayson now went to the most prestigious school in Connecticut. Robin was the pride and joy of Gotham City. He had friends and a small, but loving new family. He was healing.

And now something had upset him.

Something, or perhaps someone, had caused him to have a panic attack.

Batman's eyes narrowed dangerously.

_Someone_ was going to pay for this.

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><p>Chapter 5 done! And, in case you didn't notice it, once again, I kinda combined plot points from "Robin's Reckoning" and "A Matter of Family."<p>

So, you know the routine. The little review bubble is right below this. Oh, and if you ever have questions about something, please don't hesitate to ask. I promise I'll answer, even anonymous reviewers.

For those who want to know what Chapter 6 will hold, how do you feel about catching up with the rest of Young Justice? And we'll see what finally happens when Batman enters Mount Justice.


	6. Aftermath

****Disclaimer**: **Young Justice and all related characters and story plots belong to DC Comics, Warner Brothers, and the network on which it airs, Cartoon Network. I am making no profit from this story whatsoever.

**Author's Note: **Wow! Sorry, guys! I did not anticipate such a long hiatus! Two weeks of hell at work followed by a week of feeling like crap because of a stupid cold-turned-sinus infection. Anyway, I'm back, and with good news! I've got the rest of this story pretty much mapped out. Not sure how many chapters it will be ultimately, but I know how I want the rest of the story to work out, so there shouldn't be too much of a hiatus between chapters from now on (of course, I probably just jinxed myself, knowing my luck, lol).

Thank you so much for sticking with it! Seriously, 65 reviews? You guys are awesome!

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><p><strong>Aftermath<strong>

**MOUNT JUSTICE  
>SEPTEMBER 10, 02:52 EDT<strong>

Everything had been quiet since Robin's meltdown. Black Canary had contacted Batman (which took a few attempts, probably because of the League matter that the Dark Knight had been taking care of) and then went to check in with Superman. Red Tornado had temporarily shut off the computer's holographic monitors, this way they wouldn't lose the information they had on Zucco but at the same time it was no longer around, should Robin come back into the room. He was also delegated to keep an eye on the rest of the team, who were still unable to leave the main hall until Batman arrived to debrief and dismiss them.

For now, the young heroes had gathered together in a tight circle. They hadn't said a word to each other, their minds on their youngest member. It didn't seem possible that the thirteen-year old kid they knew to be so lighthearted and carefree would have a panic attack. He was Robin, the Boy Wonder, Batman's sidekick (though both he and the Dark Knight seemed to prefer "partner"). Robin didn't get spooked. It just _didn't happen._

"I've never seen anything like that before, even on Mars," said Megan finally, breaking the silence.

"You have to wonder, how bad does a criminal have to be to freak out _Robin_," said Artemis.

"Kaldur, Wally, you've known him the longest, right? Have you ever seen that happen to him before?" asked Megan.

Kaldur shook his head. "No, I have not. Robin can be… rash at times, but he is level-headed when dealing with criminals. As far as I know, he has never lost control."

"What about you, Wally? You're his best friend. You've got to know what that was all about," said Artemis, crossing her arms and looking at the speedster expectantly.

Wally hesitated. He honestly had no idea what had set the Boy Wonder off. Robin faced off against criminals like the Joker and Two-Face without blinking an eye. There was no way that some Soprano-Godfather wannabe fazed him. Whatever was going on, the redhead didn't think that this had anything to do with Robin, and everything to do with Dick Grayson.

Unable to come up with a plausible excuse to cover for him, however, Wally just shook his head. "Nope. Not a clue," he said quickly.

As was to be expected, Artemis gave him an exasperated look. _Well, he's no help_, she thought, slightly annoyed.

Superboy hadn't participated in their conversation, choosing to simply listen instead. He was feeling very conflicted. Sure, he was worried about Robin. The Boy Wonder was one of his friends, his teammates. He'd helped rescue him from Cadmus, trusted him even after he'd bruised the younger's ribs. They'd been paired up together on missions multiple times. He was even starting to pick up on Robin's little habit of playing around with words in the English language. So to see the thirteen-year old vigilante of Gotham City so visibly terrified hadn't been sitting to well with Superboy.

At the same time, though, he couldn't get over Superman's reaction. He'd known that his "father" and Robin were close. Robin was the first sidekick. Superman was a founding member of the Justice League alongside Batman, who he seemed to get along extremely well with. So it really wasn't so hard to fathom that Superman would be worried about Robin, even going so far as to do everything in his power to help by getting Robin away from whatever it was that had caused the uncharacteristically scared reaction. But knowing all that still didn't stop Superboy from feeling the annoying twinges of jealously and anger.

"_RECOGNIZED: BATMAN, 02_."

The team's conversation was cut off by the computerized feminine voice. The five teens and Red Tornado turned to face the Dark Knight as he came storming into the main hall. He ignored his protégé's friends and went directly over to their caretaker. Black Canary returned from wherever she had been with Superman, walking right over to her fellow League members and immediately started to explain what had happened.

The group watched the interaction in silence. Batman's entire form was extremely tense. His fists were clenched, the white lenses in his cowl narrowed in reflection of his eyes. They couldn't hear what was being said (well, Superboy could, but he was respectfully trying not to purposely listen). Every so often, the Bat's clenched hands would tighten, as though he desperately wanted to ring someone's neck.

Finally, Black Canary stopped talking, and Batman took a deep breath. He turned to face the team and beckoned them forward. They flinched, but stepped up to the senior heroes.

"Report," growled Batman darkly.

For a moment, no one spoke. Then Kaldur stepped forward and began to debrief the Dark Knight on the mission. He told him everything. The stakeout, the six saboteurs who the team quickly took out, Kaldur's assigning Robin the task of obtaining the name of their boss, everything.

"Since none of us had ever heard of a criminal named Simon Dirks, Robin hacked into the Batcomputer to pull up his profile from your records. They showed that Dirks was actually an alias for – "

"_I know who,_" hissed the Dark Knight fiercely, his fists clenching at his sides once again. The entire room winced (with the exception of Red Tornado), and Wally and Megan took an involuntary step away from the furious Bat.

"Yes, well, it was not long after that Robin had the panic attack," Kaldur finished, managing to keep his calm demeanor in the face of such rage.

Batman didn't speak for a long moment. He inhaled sharply and released it with a soft growl deep in his throat. Megan found she didn't have to read his mind to know what he was thinking. It was pretty obvious that he was concerned about his protégé and trying not to take out his frustrations on her and her team.

"You did well," he said finally. "I will take over from here. You can head home." His peace spoken, Batman turned and headed down the hall towards the living room where Superman had the Boy Wonder.

The team looked at each other, their expressions echoing the same concern. None of them wanted to leave, not until they had seen their friend with their own eyes.

"Do you think Robin's going to be okay?" asked Megan quietly to the other four.

"Panic attacks don't usually last very long. I'm sure he's fine," said Artemis reassuringly, trying to convince herself as much as she was the others.

Kaldur nodded in agreement, lost in his own thoughts. He couldn't help feeling that this was his fault, somehow. If he hadn't allowed Robin to hack into the Batcomputer, if he had suggested that they wait for Batman to arrive, then Robin wouldn't have had the panic attack at all. Of course, the Atlantean had no way of knowing if it was Zucco's profile that had caused the boy's reaction, but it seemed to be the most logical explanation, considering the timeline of events.

Wally glanced back over to where Black Canary and Red Tornado stood, conversing quietly. He noticed Canary's eyes kept glancing in the direction Batman had gone. The speedster sighed softly, following her gaze. He knew she was probably thinking about what condition the Dark Knight would find his adopted son in. Wally couldn't help wondering the same thing. Which was why, no matter what, there was no way he was leaving until he had seen Dick with his own eyes.

Superman looked up as he heard the tell tale signs of footsteps in the hallway coming closer and closer. He'd heard the computerized voice acknowledge Batman's arrival and listened in on the conversation with the other heroes that subsequently followed. It must have been torture for the man to have to wait before rushing to his son's aid. The Kryptonian could hear the impatience in his gait.

Entering the room, Bruce's eyes met Clark's first, the Man of Steel offering him a reassuring grin, before falling on the young boy nestled in his arms. Dick was curled up comfortably, his head resting against the older man's chest. He was asleep, his breathes deep and even. As Bruce stepped closer to the couch, he noticed the dark shades that now replaced the boy's mask and the tear stains marking his pale cheeks.

"How is he?" he asked quietly, having no intention to wake the boy.

"Better now that he's finally asleep, but it was pretty intense for a while," Clark answered honestly. His gaze shifted down to the youth in his arms. "It was Zucco. The minute he saw Zucco's face… he just lost it."

Batman sighed, nodding in understanding. He had all ready figured out that much. As soon as Red Tornado and Black Canary had informed him of Zucco's involvement in the mission, he knew that it had to be the reason Dick freaked out in front of everyone, just as he knew that he himself was partially to blame. If he had only done his research better, his ward would never have known that the man who ruined his life was back. And even worse, fours years of absence did not change the fact that Dick was a material witness to his crime and the only one who could give testimony that would put Zucco away for life. It was almost certain that Zucco would be coming after Dick once he knew the boy still lived in Gotham.

"I should never have sent them on that mission," he muttered to himself, turning his head away.

The Kryptonian's sensitive ears heard him loud and clear, and he looked up at the billionaire. "Bruce, you didn't know," insisted Clark. He refused to let Bruce do this to himself. This hadn't been his fault.

Batman opened his mouth to argue, but before he could get a word out, a soft whimper drew both men's eyes down to the young boy now squirming weakly in Clark's arms.

"Bruce…" he mewled, burying his face deeper into the Boy Scout's blue costume.

Batman and Superman both felt their hearts break for the orphaned boy, but only Superman showed any visible sign of it in his expression. Batman remained as unresponsive as ever as he leaned down and gently stroked his son's black hair.

"Shh," he hushed softly. "It's okay. You're okay."

Hearing his adopted father's voice, Robin's head turned towards his mentor, his dark blue eyes opening partway behind his dark shades. "Bruce?" he whispered, questioning this time rather than calling.

"Yes, Dick, it's me. I'm here. I'm here now," Bruce confirmed with a gentle smile.

Before the Dark Knight had even finished speaking, the Boy Wonder had shifted himself slightly in Superman's embrace. He held his arms up towards his guardian. Recognizing the familiar gesture, Batman lifted the boy up. Robin wrapped his arms around the man's neck and curled into him, pressing his forehead against Bruce's collarbone hard, like he wanted to burrow right into it, away from the memories and the pain they always brought. Batman understood, tightening his hold protectively on the thirteen year old (even if he _was_ getting a little to big to be held like this).

Superman willing let Robin go into his father's embrace, watching with a sad smile as Batman wrapped his black cape around the boy to further hide him from the world. Wonder Woman had described seeing this behavior a couple of times. He had only seen it once before himself, after a particularly close call with Crazy Quilt when Dick was twelve. It gave him no joy to see it now, knowing that the only way the Dark Knight would try to hide his son from the scrutiny of others was because he felt the Boy Wonder was in a bad way.

With Dick safely tucked into his mentor's embrace and once again asleep, Batman turned around and started out of the room.

"Bruce," Clark called after him, standing up. "Don't shut us out, okay? At least let us know how he's doing."

Bruce stopped and glared at his long time friend and colleague, fighting the urge to pull out the emergency Kryptonite he kept in his utility belt and toss it in the Kryptonian's direction. He didn't want to be having this conversation now. He just wanted to get Dick home, where he could protect him from all of this. He didn't want the League getting involved with this. Zucco was his responsibility, and his alone. Clark seemed to know that, though, judging by his tone. He was just concerned about the boy who was practically a nephew or even a godson to him. He may have been avoiding Superboy at the moment, but that didn't mean the Man of Steel had stopped caring.

Reluctantly, Batman nodded his head. Superman watched him leave the room, shaking his head with a fond smile. That, he supposed, was about as good as he was gonna get. He was just going to have to call Alfred tomorrow and get the information out of him. Still thinking of the stubbornness that defined the Dark Knight, Clark followed him out of the room.

The five members of the Young Justice team had yet to leave the mountain, evidenced by the fact that the computer had not announced anyone's departure and that they were still huddled together when Batman reappeared in the main hall. Kid Flash was the first to see him, and his green eyes immediately sought out his best friend, forcing Batman to shift slightly and pull up his cloak even higher to shield the boy from onlookers. He could feel the gaze of the other members of the team turn towards them as he crossed the hall swiftly with his ward. He promptly ignored them as he walked towards the exit and out of the mountain.

He didn't stop his brisk pace until he reached the Batmobile. He opened the passenger door first to carefully deposit his precious cargo on the seat and buckle him in before moving to the driver's side door. A few seconds later, the roar of the engine swallowed the sounds of the quiet night yet again as the black car zoomed back down the road, putting Mount Justice far behind in the rearview mirror.

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><p>So, that's it for now. Not as long as the last chapter, I know, but last chapter was a fluke. I'll probably never write that much again unless it's for a one shot.<p>

Smallville Series finale this Friday! Who else is gonna miss it?

Next chapter will be taking a break from Bruce and Dick for a while. We'll follow Wally home and see him having a little heart to heart with his Uncle Barry, who will immediately call an emergency meeting of the League members who know Robin's identity. Brownie points if you can guess who that would be! (Remember, the JL currently is 16 members strong. Clark said in an earlier chapter that 7 within the League know Bruce and Dick are Batman and Robin. Excluding Batman, of course. Clark and Dinah are two. I just gave you a clue that Barry is three. There are four more.)


	7. Rallying the Troops

****Disclaimer**: **Young Justice and all related characters and story plots belong to DC Comics, Warner Brothers, and the network on which it airs, Cartoon Network. I am making no profit from this story whatsoever.

**Author's Note: **Holy freakin' crap! I know, I know, this is REALLY late, but between the hiatuses, various work issues, beginning work on a new series, writer's block, and a VERY ANNOYING BARRY ALLEN who's voice I just couldn't figure out to save my soul, it's been a very long struggle to get this chapter. I finally figured I was just gonna post it as it was, but then last night at around three in the morning, I had an epiphany and rewrote the entire chapter. So, yeah, most of it ended up being about Wally and Barry and very little about the League, but I'm happy with it, so that's what counts.

For those of you who stuck with this story, thank you so much. Mark it: this is the first of my stories to reach over a hundred reviews!

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><p><strong>Rallying the Troops<strong>

**CENTRAL CITY  
>SEPTEMBER 10, 02:44 CDT<strong>

Wally heaved a huge sigh, staring up at the ceiling above him as he lay on his back. He'd returned home a few minutes ago to find his parents and his uncle sitting around the dining room table, waiting up for him. He hung around only long enough to answer their questions (how'd the mission go, was anyone injured, did he get all his homework done before he left – the usual), then bid them goodnight and escaped into his bedroom, where he proceeded to change and flop down on his bed. But he didn't go to sleep. His thoughts kept wandering back to the events of earlier that night.

He'd known Robin for a little less than two years now, having met the Boy Wonder of Gotham City only about a month after becoming Kid Flash. The Penguin had come to Central City to steal an extremely valuable collection of jewel-encrusted penguin statues. He hadn't been at all surprised when the Flash had shown up to stop him (though he did make a snide remark about him having taken on a "miniature pest" of his own) and sicced his gang of thugs on them. Based on numbers alone, it was clear that the Penguin had prepared to overwhelm Flash so he could make a clean getaway. With Kid Flash there, the odds should have been even. Unfortunately, Wally still had some trouble controlling his new powers. He hadn't quite mastered the fine art of stopping yet. And his aim hadn't improved much over the course of the last month, so he missed the target he was throwing his punches at more times than he didn't.

So with Penguin's goons wiping the floor with him and his uncle having to speed in to pick up the slack, it looked like Penguin was going to get away. That was when Batman and Robin showed up. They had gotten word of the villain's latest heist and followed him all the way to Central City. While the eleven year old immediately charged in to assist the two Flashes, Batman apprehended Penguin and recovered the stolen statues. The fight was over pretty quickly after that.

Afterwards, the four heroes reconvened on the roof of a Wayne Enterprises facility, which conveniently had a helipad large enough for Batman to land the Batplane. Wally had been amazed at the sight of the big black aircraft and even more so now that he actually had the chance to appreciate the fact that he was face-to-face with the infamous Dynamic Duo.

Wally grinned as he recalled the exchange.

**CENTRAL CITY – TWO YEARS AGO  
>JUNE 9, 23:58 CDT<strong>

"So this is him," were the first words Batman had uttered all night. It wasn't a question, which instantly sent waves of excitement coursing through Wally. He couldn't believe it! The World's Greatest Detective actually knew who he was! True, Uncle Barry must've told him, but still!

"Yup! This is Kid Flash," the Flash said proudly, placing an arm around his nephew's shoulder. "Kid, this is – "

"Batman-and-Robin-the-Dark-Knight-and-the-Boy-Wonder-the-Caped-Crusaders-the-Dynamic-Duo!" Wally blurted out, speeding over to the two heroes who stood directly across from him. He swiftly reached out and grabbed one of Robin's hands in both of his (which was quite a feat, considering the eleven year old had his arms crossed against his chest). "Wow-this-is-awesome-I-can't-believe-it's-you-my-parents-are-never-gonna-believe-me-when-I-tell-them-whoa!"

Wally suddenly found himself on the receiving end of the Batglare. Batman had placed himself between Kid Flash and Robin, who was looking down at his arm and shaking it out as though trying to get feeling back into it. The young redhead felt suddenly anxious. He had heard that the Batman's very presence was known to frighten lesser criminals. Now he knew why.

"Robin? Are you all right?" the Dark Knight asked quietly, glancing back at his young protégé.

"Yeah, Batman, I'm fine," answered Robin before laughing and grinning in Wally's direction. "That's quite an arm you got there, KF."

Kid Flash returned the grin in relief, and Batman stood down, taking the cue from his partner.

**CENTRAL CITY  
>SEPTEMBER 10, 02:46 CDT<strong>

Wally chuckled softly to himself. That was just how Dick was. He was open and accepting of everyone he met, unless they gave him a good reason not to be. And yet he only felt secure with telling Wally about his secret double life as Robin. So, yeah, it was pretty safe to say that he knew the Boy Wonder well, and having a panic attack in front of everyone was just not like him.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by a knock at the door and his uncle popping his head in. "Hey, Kid. Just saying goodnight," he said.

"Night, Uncle Barry," mumbled Wally, sitting up.

Barry frowned. Something was definitely up with his nephew. From the moment Wally stepped in the door, he'd seemed a little distant. "You okay?" he asked, stepping further into the room and closing the door behind him.

Wally nodded. "Yeah," he lied, but he knew Barry didn't believe him.

"You sure? 'Cause you know you can tell me anything, right? Did something go wrong on the mission?" the Scarlet Speedster asked as he sat down on the bed next to his sidekick.

"It wasn't the mission," Wally informed him. He hesitated for a moment, trying to figure out how to bring it up without getting his best friend in trouble. "Uncle Barry, have you ever heard of a guy named Tony Zucco?"

Barry was surprised by this question, to say the least. "Yeah… He's a crime lord, known mostly for heading extortion rings and protection rackets. Batman's been keeping tabs of him for a few years now, ever since he caused trouble in Gotham and killed a couple of folks," he answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, Batman sent us to Gotham to stop a bunch of saboteurs and get the name of their boss. When we got back to the Cave, we learned that the boss' name was an alias for Zucco," the young speedster explained.

His uncle's eyes widened in shock. "Zucco's _back?_" he exclaimed. No wonder Wally had been so distracted. Bruce must've blown a gasket when he heard the news! "Bats can't be to happy about that…" he mused.

"He took the news better than Rob," Wally said honestly. "He completely freaked. I've never seen him lose it like that."

Barry winced, placing his head in his hands and his elbows on his knees. "Oh, God," he groaned. Zucco was well aware that Dick was the only one who could pin him to the scene of the crime, which probably meant he'd be gunning for him. The poor kid must've been scared out of his mind.

Wally was watching his mentor now with great interest. It seemed like Uncle Barry knew more about Zucco than he let on, just like Superman had. If he asked the right questions, then perhaps he could get some more information out of him.

"The thing I don't get is why Robin would have panicked like that. Do he and Zucco have a history?" he asked.

Barry sat up and looked Wally in the eyes. "Yeah, kind of," he responded carefully.

"So Rob's faced this guy before?" pushed Wally.

"More or less," Barry shrugged.

"As Robin? Or as Dick Grayson?"

Barry's eyes widened as he jumped up. Had he heard him right? Wally _knew_ who Robin was?

"How do you know – ?"

"He told me," said Wally. Maybe it was stupid and maybe it would get him in trouble later, but it was the only way. He had to find out how Dick knew Zucco.

Barry was amazed. Dick had actually taken Wally into his confidence. Did Bruce know about this? Probably not, since his nephew was still breathing oxygen. But then he thought about the questions the kid was asking and he frowned. Something didn't add up.

"So then why are you asking all these questions about Zucco?" he wondered.

"Because I wanna know why Dick reacted that way," said Wally. The "duh" was implied.

The blonde man stared at him, realization dawning. "He didn't tell you…"

"Tell me what?" Wally asked, confused.

"Wally, did Dick ever tell you why he's living with Bruce? Why he's not with his parents?" asked Barry, suddenly very serious.

"He said that he was adopted," Wally answered, not really getting where the older speedster was going with this. "He doesn't really talk about his mom and dad too much, and I didn't want to ask 'cause I thought it'd just upset him. I mean, they're dead, right? That accident at Haley's Circus four years ago, when the trapeze broke? It was pretty big news at the time. Everyone was talking about it."

Barry sighed. Wally didn't know the truth. It was just as he'd suspected. "Wally, what happened to Dick's parents wasn't an accident. They were murdered."

It was as though all the air had been drained from the room, or maybe he'd just forgotten how to breathe. Wally stared at his uncle, horrified. "M – murdered? Wh – what? How? Who?" he stuttered.

"Remember what I told you about Tony Zucco, that he killed people?" asked Barry.

The fifteen year old nodded slowly. "Superman said that, too, but… they were Dick's _parents_?"

"Yeah," sighed Barry. "Dick saw Zucco threaten the owner the day before, and then again leaving the tent just as the Graysons were about to go on. He didn't have any other family, and Bruce knew he couldn't just let them put him in the orphanage, so he offered to let Dick stay with him."

"But… how could Batman have just let Zucco get away with it?" asked Wally, trying to process all of this.

"He didn't. Bruce did everything he could to track Zucco down, but he never found him. After a while, everyone figured that he must've found a way to flee the city and cross state lines," Barry explained.

It was hard to believe it, even though Wally knew it was true. His best friend's parents hadn't died in some sort of horrible accident. It had been deliberate. No wonder Dick hadn't said anything.

A dreadful thought suddenly came to him. "Uncle Barry? If Dick saw Zucco that night, then… does that mean he's in danger?"

"I'm afraid so," admitted Barry. "The police don't have any other evidence except Dick's testimony. Without it, Zucco walks free."

Wally swallowed roughly. Batman's reaction during the debriefing suddenly made sense. He was tense, on edge. He wouldn't have been that way normally, but they were talking about the man who ruined his son's life and now wanted him dead. Of course he would want to take over the case from here. He wanted to ensure his son's safety himself.

Barry watched his nephew absorb everything he had just learned, lost in thought himself. Wally said that Superman had told them a little about Zucco. That meant that he had to be at the Cave when Robin learned his parents' murderer had reentered his life. Why hadn't he contacted him yet? Was anyone else aware of this?

It was high time he found out.

**WATCHTOWER  
>SEPTEMBER 10, 04:30 EDT<strong>

As soon as he left his in-laws, Flash had sent out an urgent message to certain members of the League to meet him at the Watchtower for an emergency meeting. They were going to need all the privacy they could get, and since most of the other members were either out on missions or at home with their families, the satellite was their best bet. As soon as the seven of them were gathered together, Barry informed them about everything Wally had told him.

"Zucco's back in Gotham?" gasped Wonder Woman in horror.

"Unfortunately," confirmed Superman.

Diana turned to him, a fierce glare on her face. "And you didn't tell us," she stated accusingly.

"It really only just happened. Dinah and I were still trying to figure out what to tell the kids when they arrived at the Cave tomorrow, looking for answers," Clark defended. "It's not like any of us were prepared for this. No one would've known had the Team not caught Zucco's men tonight."

Green Arrow snorted. "Bruce must be loving this. The one criminal to give him the slip not only manages to sneak back in, but restarts his so-called 'business' again completely undetected."

"I'm more concerned about Dick. How'd he take it?" asked Diana.

"Not well, from what Wally said," said Flash.

"He completely panicked. That was the last thing he was expecting," Black Canary said sadly. She couldn't get the image of Robin clinging to Clark's uniform out of her head.

"Poor kid," sighed Green Lanturn. Hal could remember back to when he had first met Robin. Dick was so excited when he rushed into the Batcave and saw him standing next to Batman. Bruce had needed to raise his voice just to be heard over the talkative ten year old. He glanced around at his fellow Leaguers. "So, what do we do now? Zucco can't be allowed to get away again."

"Batman will not want us to interfere in his city," J'onn reminded them all. The Martian had been at the Watchtower on monitor duty when Flash had called. He had known that something terrible had happened, and now that he had heard what the bad news was, J'onn, too, was deeply concerned for his friend's son.

"I all ready told him to keep us updated on Dick's condition. For all the good that'll do," Clark said.

Barry chuckled. "Knowing him, he'll probably bench Robin until Zucco's behind bars."

"Dick's going to hate that," muttered Oliver.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't put it passed him. Bats is overprotective at the best of times."

Diana couldn't help but agree with Hal. Bruce had lost so much in his life that the thought of losing his son terrified him. Still, that was no reason for him to push them away. They all cared about Dick just as much as he did. Apparently, it was time to remind him of that.

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><p>Congratulations to all who participated in the guessing game! No one went under five correct guesses. And well done to those who got all seven. When it came to Green Lantern, I counted it correct if it wasn't specified which one.<p>

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Hopefully the next one should be up soon. We're heading back to Wayne Manor, where everyone's favorite butler will find out about Zucco's return.

Please go check out the first story of my new series, "Earth 16 Universe." It's all about Dick Grayson and his career as Robin in the world of Earth 16, and is mostly based on the canon that has been created by the show. I posted the first story now to introduce people to the series, though I plan on finishing Origin first. It's only got about five chapters left, give or take.

Leave reviews and let me know what you think. Still a little concerned about how Barry comes off here.


	8. The Morning After

****Disclaimer**: **Young Justice and all related characters and story plots belong to DC Comics, Warner Brothers, and the network on which it airs, Cartoon Network. I am making no profit from this story whatsoever.

**Author's Note: **Okay, so did not expect it to take three weeks to get this posted, but real life got in the way (this IS my busiest time of year). That, and I just got so bummed out about Brazil and Turkey and Portugal getting to see all of the first season episodes first! I mean, come on, CN, how smart was that? NOT VERY! They go by a five day a week schedule, we go by a once a week schedule. The result? THE EPISODES ARE LEAKED ON THE INTERNET AND NOW WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH GOD DAMN SPOILERS!

As you can see, I'm VERY upset about this! The last thing I wanted was to find out the identity of the mole before it was revealed on the show, and now I'm pretty sure I know who it is, which is SO not cool! As a result, I've posted a plea on my profile page, and I'm gonna repeat it now, to NOT spoil it for those who don't all ready know. I know I can't stop you from posting stories about "Unusual Suspects" and "Auld Acquaintance," but PLEASE add on a spoiler warning to the summary so readers know what to expect.

Okay, off to bed so I can get up early in the morning to watch "Performance" live. If you still have a few hours, check out the promos and stills on World's Finest. This is gonna be one killer episode for Robin fans.

* * *

><p><strong>The Morning After<strong>

**GOTHAM CITY  
>SEPTEMBER 10, 08:31 EDT<strong>

It was quiet, like it was most mornings before Alfred awoke the other two residents of the house for the day. It would only be once the youngest was fully awake that the silence would end. Somehow, the butler could never bring himself to lament the loss of the quiet.

When Bruce Wayne had lost his parents, Alfred had done everything in his power to ensure that the boy was well cared for. He never forgot about his parents, dwelled on it more times than he didn't, but at least there were times in his life where he was happy. Alfred had seen to that, with the help of Lucius Fox and Dr. Leslie Thompkins. When Bruce returned from the circus that night so many years later and explained his decision to bring the orphaned acrobat into their home, Alfred had instantly agreed. And he encouraged the young billionaire to build a relationship with the boy, knowing that it would help them both. Over the years, Alfred had come to call Bruce and Dick his family, and he hated it when either of them was distressed.

So when he opened the door to the master bedroom and looked around, he was instantly alarmed. Bruce was still in bed, but he was awake. He was looking down at Dick, fast asleep in his arms with his head resting on his adoptive father's shoulder. Alfred approached the bed quietly, not wanting to disturb the young boy.

"Is everything all right, sir?" he asked, fully knowing what the answer would be.

In their line of work, there were many times when Batman and Robin would return to the Batcave with battle wounds, sometimes physically and sometimes emotionally. Dick had always been prone to nightmares, and these close calls affected his ability to get a full night's sleep. The only thing that seemed to help him was knowing that Bruce was alive, so the billionaire had taken to letting the child sleep in his bed with him to provide that reassurance and comfort.

Bruce glanced briefly up at the butler before answering, his full attention once again on the traumatized youth in his arms. "No, Alfred, it's not," he admitted with a sad sigh. "Zucco's returned."

"Oh, my!" whispered Alfred, startled. That certainly explained a lot.

Dick sighed in his sleep, shifting slightly, but he didn't wake. Bruce reached over with his free hand and gently ran his fingers through the child's black hair.

"I assume Master Dick did not take the news very well," stated Alfred in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Clark said he started panicking the moment he saw Zucco's face on the computer screen," Bruce informed the older man.

"I can only imagine what he must have been feeling," Alfred stated.

Neither man spoke again for a long moment, simply watching the young boy who had unexpectedly come into their lives four years ago sleep. Finally, Bruce said the thing that had been on his mind since the previous night.

"I wasn't there, Alfred. He needed me, and I wasn't there."

"You can't blame yourself, Master Bruce," said Alfred firmly. "You are here for him now, and that's what matters."

Bruce knew he was right, just as Clark had been last night (as much as he hated agreeing with anything _Mr. Sunshine_ said). There was no way he could have foreseen Zucco reentering their lives. The most important thing now was that Dick knew he wasn't alone and that Bruce was there for him.

As if there was ever any doubt.

**GOTHAM CITY  
>SEPTEMBER 10, 12:56 EDT<strong>

Dick awoke still feeling very groggy, though that didn't make any sense. It was daylight, sometime after noon if the position of the sunlight on the carpet was any indication. He must have gotten a full night's sleep. So why did he just want to drop off back to sleep? He felt content and safe at the moment, so maybe that had something to do with it.

It took him a few minutes to realize that he had been staring at was Bruce's bedroom carpet, which could only mean he was in his father's bed. At the same time, he realized that his head was resting on Bruce's leg, one arm curled by the man's knee while he lay on his side. The blankets were still draped over him to provide warmth. Now that he knew he was no longer alone, he could feel Bruce's hand stroking his head gently, brushing locks of ebony hair off his forehead.

Dick sighed softly, turning his head to meet Bruce's gaze, dark blue eyes meeting dark brown ones.

"Good morning," Bruce said quietly.

"Morning," responded Dick, mimicking his tone.

Bruce kept up the motion of combing his fingers through the boy's hair, experience having taught him that it would help to keep Dick calm. "How do you feel?" he asked gently, not wanting to push too much just yet.

Dick considered his answer carefully before he responded. "Fine. Still a little tired, though," he said honestly.

Bruce nodded. He had been expecting that.

The two sat in silence after that, which gave Dick some time to think. He didn't remember the ride home from the Cave, or falling asleep. He couldn't even remember being debriefed after the mission. A concussion would explain the missing memories, but he had all his memories of the mission, and he knew that there had been no injuries. He even had the memory of convincing Clark to hang around the Cave until Bruce arrived. In fact, the last memory he had of the night was…

"Zucco…"

Bruce's hand froze on his head. "Dick?" he asked.

"Zucco!" Dick shot upright, twisting his body around so he sat facing the Dark Knight. "He's here, in Gotham! He's the one who caused all those accidents! And he hired those saboteurs last night! It was him!"

"I know, Dick, I know," said the older man, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder in a light grip. "It's gonna be okay."

"How, Bruce? How is it gonna be okay? He killed my parents, and he never had to pay for it!" Dick exclaimed.

"Not yet, but he will," Bruce swore. "I'm not going to let him get away this time, I promise."

Dick took a deep breath before nodding his head. Having Batman on his side made him feel better. This time, justice would be served.

There was a soft knock on the door. "Come in," called Bruce as he turned towards it.

The door opened, allowing Alfred entry. "I apologize for the intrusion, sir, but there is a visitor downstairs. She's insisted on seeing both you and Master Dick."

The Dynamic Duo shared a look of confusion before they went to quickly change. It was at least fifteen minutes before they were both presentable. By the time they got downstairs, Alfred had brought their guest into the living room.

"Diana. What a pleasant surprise," said Bruce with a warm smile.

"Hello Bruce, Dick," greeted the Amazon princess, returning the smile as she approached them.

"Hi, Diana," said Dick, though his tone wasn't as welcoming as his father's had been. He moved closer to Bruce, positioning himself right next to him so that there was no distance between them.

Naturally, this didn't go unnoticed by all the adults in the room. Bruce gave the Amazon an apologetic look. Diana responded with a nod of her head. She knew that Dick had a tendency to be possessive of the Dark Knight. From what she had heard about the World of Man, it was common amongst single parent family situations. And lately, Dick's possessive streak had expanded beyond the various women that the playboy billionaire dated and was now threatening to affect his relationship the Team, specifically Kaldur.

"I heard about what happened, and I just wanted to see for myself that you were all right," Diana explained.

"That was very nice of you, wasn't it, Dick?" asked Bruce, placing a hand on his son's shoulder.

"Yeah," agreed Dick grudgingly. He hated to admit it, but Diana was one of the nicer women Bruce had shown any interest in. She genuinely cared about both of them.

But that didn't mean she could date his dad.

"If you'll excuse me, sir, I think I shall prepare lunch. Master Dick, why don't you come with me and we'll let the adults talk," said Alfred subtly, making his way towards the kitchen. Dick followed, but not before sending a final glare Diana's way.

Bruce shook his head. "I'm sorry about that," he said.

"It's all right," Diana replied. "He's going through a lot right now, especially with Tony Zucco back in Gotham."

"Let me guess, Clark called an emergency meeting last night?" asked Bruce. It would be just like him to involve the rest of the League in something that wasn't his business.

"Barry, actually. Kid Flash told him about what happened." Diana paused for a moment, wondering if she should continue. "Bruce. You should know… Kid Flash – "

"Knows our secret identities."

Diana's eyes widened. "How did you – ?" She cut herself off when she saw the smirk that came to Bruce's face. She chuckled. "Never mind. You're not called the World's Greatest Detective for nothing," she commented.

"I like to think it's more a father's intuition," shrugged Bruce. "I knew Dick would tell Wally eventually. He thought I would get mad at him for disobeying me, so he begged Wally not to say anything."

"And you haven't confronted either of them about it?" asked Diana curiously.

"No need. If Dick trusts Wally with our secret, then that's that. I trust his judgment," Bruce explained.

Diana nodded. _Barry'll be happy to hear that,_ she thought. The speedster had been worried that the Bat was gonna kill his nephew just for knowing too much.

"Bruce!"

The billionaire and the princess turned their heads as Dick came running back into the room, making a beeline for his adoptive father and latching onto his arm.

"Bruce, lunch is ready. Come and eat!" he pleaded, giving his father his famous puppy-dog eyes and pout.

The Dark Knight melted under the look, smiling warmly and placing a gentle hand on his son's head.

"All right, I'll be right there," he said.

"I should probably be getting back, anyway," said Diana, taking the hint. She walked over to the Dynamic Duo. "I'm glad to see you're doing better, Dick."

"Thanks," said Dick. Bruce nudged him slightly in the arm, making him internally cringe, but he obeyed the silent order and put on as sincere a grin as he could muster. "And thanks for coming to check on me."

"Of course, any time," responded Diana with a bright smile of her own before turning to Bruce. "I'll see you soon?"

"Count on it," said Bruce, flashing his playboy smile at her.

Diana laughed, leaning over to kiss him swiftly on the cheek.

The Boy Wonder's eyes narrowed as he watched the exchange. There was no way he was going to let Diana anywhere near _his_ Bruce outside of Justice League business. He'd found ways to interrupt Bruce's dates before. Looked like he was just gonna have to do it again.

**GOTHAM CITY  
>MARCH 10, 21:04 EDT<strong>

Bruce changed as quickly as possible into the Batsuit. He had been planning to head out on patrol earlier (all the better to start tracking down Zucco), but Dick had barely left his side the entire day. Bruce had expected him to be clingy, of course, between the shock of Zucco's return and his obvious jealousy of Diana. Finally, Alfred had managed to distract Dick with the prospect of baking his favorite cookies, which allowed him to head down to the Batcave and slip on the cowl.

"Bruce? Are you down here?"

Bruce turned his head towards his protégé as he came down the stairs, fighting the urge to sigh. He knew that Dick would figure out where he'd gone. He just hoped that he'd be halfway across Gotham by then.

When Dick first noticed that Bruce wasn't around, he assumed that he was in the Batcave. He didn't expect to see Batman standing near the Batmobile, though. "Why didn't you tell me it was time for patrol? Hold on, I'll go get changed!" he said, crossing over to where he kept his costume.

"You're not coming, Dick."

Dick stopped short, turning his stunned eyes towards the Dark Knight. "What? No! Why can't I go with you?" he demanded.

"I'm working alone tonight. You're still exhausted from what happened last night," explained Bruce.

"Oh, come on! I've been resting all day!" Dick groaned. "Was there another breakout at Arkham? Who was it? Joker, Two-Face, Quilt?"

"It's none of your business," Batman growled.

"None of my business? I'm your partner!" exclaimed Dick.

"This is something I have to do _alone_," said Batman firmly, narrowing his eyes into the Batglare.

Too bad Dick was one of the two people it didn't affect.

"So that's it? No explanation. You were just gonna leave me here, wondering where you went," he said angrily.

"You know the rules. There are times when I can't explain my actions, even to you," Batman reminded him. He started towards the Batmobile once more.

"You're going after Zucco, aren't you?"

Dick's accusing words again stopped the Dark Knight in his place, but the man didn't turn back this time. He didn't have to. He could feel the Boy Wonder's angry glare without having to see it.

"No, not without me. I want to make sure he gets what's coming to him," he insisted.

"Dick," Bruce stated warningly.

"_It's not fair!_" Dick was shouting now. "_You can't take Zucco away from me! I won't let you!_"

"You don't have a say in the matter," said Batman, turning back to his partner.

"I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME! ZUCCO'S MINE!" Dick screamed furiously.

Bruce remained silent for a moment, waiting to see if Dick would continue. When it was obvious that the tantrum was done, he spoke calmly. "We will discuss this in the morning. It's late. I want you in bed by ten o'clock." With that, the Dark Knight turned and headed towards the Batmobile one final time, leaving a glaring Dick Grayson behind him.

Dick knew it would do him no good to argue the point further. Once Batman had made up his mind, there was no changing it. Still… it wouldn't be the first time Robin had disobeyed the man…

"Late for Bruce Wayne, early for the Batman."

* * *

><p>So, that's it for this chapter. The action's gonna start back up in the next chapter as we come to the first part of the showdown between Batman and Tony Zucco.<p>

Only one decision leaves me puzzled, and I'm hoping you can all help me figure out what to do. Wally is going to make another appearance, but I'm unsure as to when. So it's reader's choice. Do you want Wally to call Dick once the nightmare's over in the final chapter, or would you rather I put Kid Flash in the action going down in Gotham City? You decide!


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